Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1887-07-28
JOHNS JEWEL.

1t was about five minutes after the second
and last whistle had blown at Darts shoe
| factory when Annie Velga came running up
the street, painting and red of face. John
Dart, standing on the steps talking with two
strangers, smiled as she came up and SAID In
slightly surprised tones:
@You are late this morning, Miss Vega
something never before known"
EYES, sir. / am sorry, but l oversight my
self"
| "Up late last night-had beau, perhapss"
suggested John, roguishly.
"No, sir" retorted Annie, promtly and
rather snappishly, for, even though he was
the nephew of William Bart, the great shoe
man, and the prospective heir to all his
wealth. she considered he was taking liberty,
especially before strangers Perhaps pretty
and prim little Annie had some other reason,
too, for resenting his remark.
@Pretty girl" said opeof the strangers after
she had passed.
GYes.n assented John, Sand about the
ne est, quickest girl in the work room, and
then the stranger began talking again very
earnestly, as before Annie came up the steps.
Well" said John, "of course you may
| satisfy yourself, but 1 can tell you before
hand there is not one of our girls whom we
| do not trust 1t may take you about all day,
| for they live in all directions from here, il
| YOU have to search their rooms AS uncle
says | must go with you in that case, the
sooner it is over the better for me-" Then
| they all three went up stairs to the girls
| work room.
"Will those who stopped at Dingus' jewelry
| store last night, on the way home from work,
| please stand up?" said John Over half Of
| them stood up, while John took down their
| names and the numbers Of their rooms and
the detectives watched each face keenly. So
far no one was disturbed by a guilty con-
science. After ascertaining beyond a doubt
that all who had been in the store reported,
John announced:
1--WE have received word that a valuable
amount of jewelry was stolen from this firm
| last night at about the hour you were there,
therefore suspicion has fallen upon you, and
each girl must allow her room to be searched
if the goods are not previously found upon
her person"
So the search began. A quiet, trusty girl,
much older than the others, and who had not
been with them the evening before, was ap-
pointed to conduct the personal investigation
in another room. One after another left the
workroom to return in few minutes de-
clared innocent, until the officers were salts
fed none of the goods were at the factory.
Now" said John, when the last girl had
returned, twill each of you give me your
Ike in turn, for | must accompany this
officer in his search while the other remains
here"
s'Not this morning." spoke up Annie Velga
quickly, while the smart detective felt the
jewels in his grasp, so to speak, and the re-
ward in his pockets John looked surprised
some said he turned trihe pale as he
looked into Armies flushed, guilty face.
''Yes, of course, this morning, he answered
gravely. "What difference is it, Miss Annief"
'None," answered Annie hastily; but as
John took her key the detective, thinking it
best to search her room at once instead of in
her turn, she burst out crying and seemed SO
broken down, the remaining officer felt justi-
fed in placing her under arrest
John had visited Annie's room before, Just
once, not many evenings before. He had
taken her book to read and a small basket
of fruit, thinking that neat way to begin
his courtship as any He had thought as he
left that evening it was the prettiest, bright
est little room he had ever seen, far exceed
ing any in his uncles grand mansion He
had little thought the next time he climbed
the stairs to room No. 80 would be upon such
a painful errand He could not believe sweet
little Annie guilty until it was proved, yet he
climbed the steps unwillingly, and with more
unwilling fingers turned in the lock the key
Annie had surrendered. When the door was
open he stood for moment irresolute. The
| room seemed the same, yet not the same
either. Where, the evening he had called,
pretty japanese screen had stood, was now
rather shabby though scrupulously clean
little stove, and thereon a skillet with a few
potatoes left from the mornings meal; and
dainty bed, with covers thrown back and
pillows airing, was drawn out where had
stood a small book cabinet he had particular
ly noticed John treasured himself he was
in the right door by several little articles Oh
the walls, and while the busy detective was
diving around in Armies one trunk and the
bureau drawers looking for the lost treasure
John was looking around at this little jewel
of room, a fairy's paradise, as it seemed to
him. Across the foot Of the bed was dainty
night dress, to be sure, made of cheap muslin
and trimmed in crochet lace, but John did
not know the difference between it and one
of linen trimmed in finest thread. Two small
slippers were set precisely under the bed
and over a stool by their side was a pair of
red stockings, turned wrong side out as
though to air. Indeed, am telling the
truth when tell it, that while the detectives
back was turned searching Armies small
dish cupboard John quickly stuffed that pair
of red stockings in his coat pocket. Why he
did so he could never satisfactorily explain.
Then, as he sat there on the bed looking
around upon the tidy disorder, it came across
him what was the reason of Armies confusion
and distress, for, astute as mankind is gener-
ally believed to be, %e could dimly imagine
that no little woman as neat as Annie could
endure to have her castle caught in such con-
fusion Perhaps had it been the detective
alone she would not have cared; and then
John smiled complacently to himself. 1t was
her neat fitting dress and dainty linen collars
and always spotless white aprons that had
first attracted Johns attention; and then it
was the pretty face, with its pleasant smile
and independent eyes, that had increased the
Interest until it had eliminated in his meanly
pocketing her red stockings.
At last the detective gave up in despair.
'She has hidden them some place else, b.
sid shortly.
"She never had them at ALL replied John,
calmly.
"Then what made her act so guilty" ques-
toned the other, almost believing himself in
her innocence
| Don't know answered John laconically.
When they returned to the factory there was
quite confusion and hubbub, for the jewels
had been found by another detective en-
ployed by Dingus in the possession OF a no
torious pickpocket, who, disguised as wo-
man, had slipped into the store with the
crowd of factory girls Everybody was glad